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Liberals dismiss a 10- day extension to the forest peace deal handout deadline

Updated
Thu 11 Jul 2013, 10:40 AM AEST

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Criticism leads Tasmania's Economic Development Minister David O'Byrne to extend the deadline for forest industry handouts by 10 days.

ABC

Tasmania's Economic Development Minister David O'Byrne has responded to pressure to slow down the handout of forest peace deal funds, by extending consultations for 10 days.

The State Government aimed to quickly roll out $100 million in funding to diversify the economy, under the deal to reduce logging in native forests.

The extension follows criticism from peace deal signatories, the Liberals, and Australian Greens that the process was too quick and unclear.

Mr O'Byrne says he has listened to the concerns and extended consultation on how to spend the money.

"They needed to do a bit more work to make sure that they put the best proposal forward and we are looking at the best proposals," he said.

The Minister has given Tasmanians 10 days to submit their business ideas, saying it is enough time for a process which began in August 2011.

No public consultation

Tasmanian Liberal Senator, Richard Colbeck says the Minister still has not consulted the community.

"Well right from the outset we've been expressing our concerns that this was nothing more than a slush fund rather than a strategic development process," he said.

"David O'Byrne just continues to demonstrate that instead of going to the community and asking them what their concerns might be, he's gone to the signatories and asked them to come out and defend his case," he said.

The Dorset Mayor Barry Jarvis welcomed the extension but says it will not be long enough for some.

"To make changes to your business and do full impact of what you need to do, how you need to fund it takes more than two to three weeks, you can change your direction of business but sometimes the data you need to collect can take three to six months," he said.